


The Inspiration of St. Marc

by hawaiigal52



Category: Ugly Betty
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-02
Updated: 2013-10-02
Packaged: 2017-12-28 06:33:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/988860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawaiigal52/pseuds/hawaiigal52
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Inspiration of St. Marc<br/>A/N: This is a three-shot I was 'inspired' to write after watching the scene of Daniel and Betty, having their fight over Henry's bad reference and Trista. Just thought things might have gone differently, if our favorite 'Saint' had stepped in and given our 'lovahs' a shove in the right direction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Inspiration of St. Marc

Title: The Inspiration of St Marc  
Category: TV Shows » Ugly Betty  
Author: Betty the Bonita  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: M  
Genre: Romance  
Published: 01-09-13, Updated: 01-11-13 (originally on Fanfiction)  
Chapters: 3, Words: 5,520  
________________________________________  
Chapter 1: Chapter 1  
________________________________________  
_____________________________________  
Betty was so infuriated right now, she could barely think straight. How DARE Daniel do that! She couldn't believe he thought it was acceptable to mess with people's lives like that.  
She tried to calm her beating heart, get her emotions in check. She didn't know when she had last been this upset. It had been a long time since she let herself get so worked up.  
In fact, it had been since Matt left since she let herself get so worked up in a GOOD way, too, she realized. Maybe that's one reason she even agreed to go to breakfast with Henry in the first place, if she were being completely honest with herself. Not that it was any of Daniel's business who she…did anything with!  
How dare he question her, especially after he was the one who, who went running around with that walking, barely talking Barbie doll with big boobs where her brain should have been.  
Okay, maybe that was mean, but what was Daniel doing with her? He was smarter than that! He was such a catch and here he was, back to sleeping with brainless bimbos like that Trista!  
Wait, she had gotten off track in her thinking here, what did she even care who HE went out with? He could date whoever he wanted. Amanda had finally started to have a real relationship with Tyler, so wasn't Daniel entitled to have a love life for himself, whoever that entailed?  
Meanwhile, Daniel found himself pacing his office, like a caged tiger, ready to pounce on anything or anybody who came in his view.  
Marc started to come into his office to give him some paperwork and he glared at him, "What the hell do YOU want? Just get out of here! Can't you see I'm busy?"  
Marc's eyes popped at first, but used to being yelled at for no particular reason, he backed away, carefully, "Okk…ay. Sure. Nice talking to you, Daniel. Have a good day, now."  
He looked at the poor girl who was serving as a temp, "Did you see what caused…that?" he asked, finding himself almost feeling sorry for the poor girl.  
She nodded, "Oh, yeah. Some woman with long, dark hair came in there, yelling at him, and he yelled back. It was pretty intense.  
I thought they were going to pull each other's clothes off and start doing it on top of his desk for a minute there, but she stormed out and he's been like that ever since."  
"Could you tell what it was they were arguing about…this time?"  
She thought a minute, "She said something about him doing something to make another guy lose his job and he said he had the right to protect her from getting her heart broken, then she started telling him he shouldn't date a girl named Trista, that it was going backwards.  
Finally, she told him to butt out of her life and that's when she stormed out."  
Marc nodded, understanding. "Makes perfect sense. Listen, dear. Why don't you go take a coffee break? I'll cover your desk for a while.  
Sounds like you've had enough drama for one year here. I'm used to these two lovahs. I'll handle things here. Go! Go! I've got this."  
She looked hesitant, then grabbed her purse from the desk drawer and headed to the elevator, "You're sure?"  
He nodded, already watching Daniel, and waving her away, "Of course! Run along now. Marc-ie's got this under control."  
Daniel took a deep breath, trying to get himself under control. What the hell was wrong with Betty, anyway? When it came to that damn Henry, why was she always so…well, STUPID?  
He had tried, over and over to protect her from the guy, but she kept running back to him, and getting her heart broken time after time.  
The guy was like a disease. He had been so relieved when he found out Henry Grubstick had moved to Tucson.  
But now, he was back. And on top of it all, Betty had called the guy; drunk dialed him while she was in London and invited HIM to her sister's wedding for God's sake!  
She must still have some feelings for the guy. Of course he was going to try to protect her from him, from herself, more like. When it came to that creep, she just never seemed to learn! It made him furious.  
He wanted to go smash the guy's face in right now for coming back here. That's what he always did. Just when Betty was getting over him, he showed up again! Talk about a boomerang.  
Hell, maybe he should actually go tell the guy to pack his bags and get back on the next donkey headed west! Yeah, right. Betty would be even more pissed, he thought.  
The one time he had resorted to physical violence on her behalf hadn't gone over so well. Or had it? Hell, Matt finally got the message and went off to try and be Mother Theresa or Angelina Joli.  
No, she had made it abundantly clear she didn't want him butting in. "Marc, what are you still doing here? I thought I told you I'm busy! Get out! Don't you work for a living?"  
"Don't you? Listen, I'm here to do what I see now I should have done a long time ago. I just didn't care enough to intervene before. But this is getting so boring with you two.  
I feel I have to step in before innocent people get hurt. You know you practically scared that poor temp off, yelling and huffing and puffing?"  
Daniel looked out to see the girl had indeed left her desk. He picked up his phone. "What the...? I'll call the stupid staffing agency, and see if they can…" Marc took the phone from him and put it down.  
"You don't need another temp, Daniel. Sit down. This is going to take a minute. But you have to hear it from a…" he gulped. "Friend-ish."  
Daniel looked at him, "What? What the hell are you babbling about? Look, if this is some stupid scheme you and Wilhelmina have cooked up; I'm not in the mood! Just get lost, will you, Marc?"  
"Why because you're so busy? Doing what? Pining over your lovah? Face it, Daniel, you're not giving her what she needs, so can you blame her for being desperate enough to reach out to tall, dorky and surprisingly built boy?  
Especially when they have a history. Think about it, she just lost her billionaire boyfriend to a 'higher purpose', don't you think, even miss high and mighty gets…desperate? She is a woman, after all-ish. Sort of.  
Well, close enough! She still has needs, Daniel. Don't be such an idiot all the time! Go get her, you moron!  
I know you're technically my uh…boss, sort of, but I swear, it's a good thing you're pretty, because sometimes you can be SO DENSE! Do you want me to learn sign language here? What's so hard? Besides you, that is?"  
Daniel was processing what Marc was trying to imply, but he still wasn't buying it. "Look, Marc, enough with your innuendos, okay?  
You can imply all you want that there is something going on between Betty and me, but there isn't. There never has been. We're FRIENDS, period. I know that might be a foreign concept to you, to have a strictly platonic relationship, but…"  
Marc looked at him like he had two heads, "Hello, uh, duh, remember that little blonde girl I hang around sometimes? The one I've had to pick up the pieces for all the times YOU broke her heart.  
Remember her? Just because you only used her for your sexual plaything all these years doesn't mean she didn't have genuine feelings for you all that time, Daniel!  
And who was there to help her through it? ME! Only, I don't get to ride off into the sunset with my bestie, because, damnit, she's a girl!  
Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to see a woman suffer, one you really love, and care about, but you can't give her what she really needs, the kind of love she deserves because of your own nature?  
But with Betty, what you two have is different. You make me sick! It's nauseated everyone here at Mode for years. Only you are too STUPID to recognize it for what it is.  
On behalf of all of us who have had to watch you two through this fishbowl of yours and see the 'Days of your incredibly insipid and boring lives', GO!  
Get the hell out of here and tell her what you should have years ago, Daniel. Tell Betty Suarez you are in love with her, once and for all!  
Because if you don't and she does go back to dork-brain you know you're going to be miserable and none of us here will be safe."  
________________________________________  
Chapter 2: Chapter 2  
________________________________________  
The Inspiration of St. Marc  
Chapter 2  
After Marc had literally shoved him out of his own office, Daniel decided to get some air and blow off a little steam, not feeling like staying and arguing with Marc about his love life.  
He realized he was too worked up to get anything productive accomplished anyway.  
He leaned back in the seat, blowing out a breath, trying to process some of what Marc had said to him. "Where to, sir?" His driver asked him.  
"Huh? Oh, uh, my loft, I guess." He would go home, have a drink, watch a game, kick back, and try to get his little fight with Betty off his mind.  
He realized, though, it wasn't a 'little fight', this time. He couldn't remember ever seeing Betty so mad before. Not even when he had slept with that stupid Petra who claimed she was only sixteen even.  
She was upset then, too, but not like this time. This time she was really hot! He meant, in an angry kind of way, of course. He pictured her yelling at him and realized, maybe he meant it…the other way, too.  
Stupid Marc! Marc and his crazy ideas about Betty and Daniel being 'lovahs'. That was the most ridiculous thing he ever heard.  
They had never come even close! Not once in over four years. All they had ever shared were lots and lots and lots of… hugs.  
Unless you count the time he had kissed her eyebrow when he was drugged and thought she was his dead wife. Wow, that had to be the weirdest first kiss ever!  
He remembered hesitating to ask her about it when she was helping him go through Molly's things, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.  
He had also been uncomfortable himself; talking to her after Matt had accused them of sleeping together. You really couldn't blame the guy for thinking that. If he were Matt, he realized he would have thought the same thing.  
She did sleep at his loft all night. Not just that one time, either. She had pretty much camped out on his couch, listening to him, comforting him many times after Molly's death, and again when he returned from Tibet.  
God, no wonder everyone at Mode assumed they were sleeping together!  
But, he and Betty knew they were just friends. Daniel couldn't help but go over what Marc had said, though. He had never heard Marc talk that way about Amanda, before. It was actually kind of sweet.  
He knew they were like girlfriends, perhaps. He had never realized that Marc might have some slight twinge of regret that he could never be any closer to the woman he clearly DID have some kind of feelings for after all these years.  
But that was them. It wasn't the same for him and Betty. Was it?  
He looked at his phone, surprised, "Hey, bride-to-be! How are you holding up? Getting nervous, I bet, huh?"  
"I'm fine. Or at least I will be when I lose five more pounds, strangle the stupid florist with those damn yellow mums I didn't order, and as long as I don't kill my maid-of-honor. Have you seen Betty? I can't get a hold of her and I need her like yesterday!"  
"I…well, I saw her earlier today, but I'm not sure if she went home or not. We…sort of had a fight."  
"Oh, of course! I should have known it had something to do with you! I'm so sorry; Mr. Meade, but right now, I really NEED my sister.  
So, could you possibly find it in your selfish little heart to go make nice with her, so she'll stop sulking and come help me before I FREAK OUT, here?" Daniel held his phone out so her yelling wouldn't make him deaf.  
She continued, "I swear, ever since she met you, it's always about you, all the time, 'Daniel needs me, Daniel needs me!'  
Well, I'm her big sister and it's supposed to be about ME for one day in my life. And I NEED HER!  
So, if you care anything about me or Betty, and I know you do, somewhere deep in your rich, spoiled little soul, PLEASE, go find her for me and tell her to call me?!"  
He took a deep breath, afraid to argue with a woman like Hilda Suarez, especially when she was in a Bridezilla mindset, he mumbled, "Sure, Hilda. I'll go and talk to her. Don't worry."  
"Thank you." She said, suddenly calm; then hung up. He looked at the phone, then told his driver to go to Betty's apartment instead.  
Talk about going from the frying pan to the fire! He knew Betty was still mad at him for his bad reference to Henry.  
He decided to at least head that off and called the accounting firm back and changed his story about Mode's former accountant's skills.  
He stood outside Betty's door, trying to get up the nerve to knock.  
Finally, he heard her yell; "Just a minute" after he had lightly tapped on the door, almost wishing she weren't home to delay the inevitable glare he knew she would give him.  
He was right. "I've got your money, just hang on… DANIEL! What are you doing here? Don't you have someone else's life to nose into? What do you want? Look, I really don't feel like talking to you right now, okay?"  
He started looking at her, really looking. She still had her red dress on from earlier and his eyes couldn't help wander to the cleavage she usually hid so well all these years.  
She stood there, her hand on her hip, glaring at him, her eyes blazing a whole right through him.  
He didn't even stop to think. He went with his first instinct and grabbed her somewhat forcefully and kissed her. At first, she seemed to be in shock and didn't react.  
Right away, he realized this was no ordinary kiss. There was an incredible amount of heat. She was definitely kissing him back now.  
He had started out not knowing exactly why he was kissing her, other than incredible curiosity perhaps. But the longer they kissed, the more intense it clearly became for both of them.  
Eventually, though, Betty pulled away and he could tell her first instinct was to slap him, but thankfully for him she merely blinked and asked,  
"Why did you do THAT?"  
"Why do you think?  
She shrugged, still not over her anger and obviously confused at his action, "I don't know. Lost a bet?"  
"Betty, can I come in, please? We need to talk."  
"Fine. But I'm still furious over what you did to Henry…"  
He cut her off and moved inside, as she backed up, "I took care of that.  
I called them back and told them I must have gotten him mixed up with someone else and gave him the good recommendation I should have all along.  
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It's just…I don't want to see you get hurt again. I…care about you, Betty."  
She blew out a breath, and leaned against the counter, touching her fingers to her lips. "Yeah, about that. Um…what was that all about just now? You kissed me!"  
"You noticed." He couldn't help smiling as she blushed.  
"Well, of course I noticed! My question is, why?"  
"Lost a bet. You nailed it, Betty." He teased, leaning against the back of the kitchen table.  
"Funny. Thanks a lot. Who bet you?"  
"Uh, let's see. Marc, Hilda. My driver, my mom."  
"What? What are you talking about?"  
He took a breath, and leaned down, moving her hair behind one shoulder,  
"Look, I've been thinking and the thing is, Betty, the thing is…I don't want you to go to your sister's wedding with Henry."  
She still had daggers in her eyes, but he could detect a slight change in her attitude, "What do you care WHO I go with? Aren't you taking Trista, anyway?"  
He smiled, as he heard the tone in her voice when she mentioned Trista, "Actually, no. I'm not. Why do YOU care who I go out with, Betty? Unless…"  
"Unless what?"  
He gave her one of his, 'I know I'm hot' smiles, as he made small circles on the back of her hand with his forefinger.  
"Unless you're jealous of her. Which it REALLY sounds like you are, Betty."  
"I am NOT!"  
"You are, too." He crowded her, causing her to back up against the sink, but as she started to lose her footing, he caught her.  
She looked up at him, as he held her by her shoulders, staring into her eyes.  
She could feel the heat between them. "I…just hate to see you…"  
"Go backwards, I know. I heard you before, Betty. So did half of Mode. In fact, I'm probably going to have to go through another staffing agency.  
I think you scared off my temp yelling at me like you did. Either that or Marc did. But you want to know something?"  
"What?" She could barely manage, as he got closer, "I think we both WERE moving backwards, me with Trista and you with Henry, because we're both scared to death to move forwards with the one person who's been there for us all along.  
Betty why HAVEN'T we slept together? I mean, hell, everyone already thinks we have anyway. Matt obviously did.  
And I have to admit; I can't say I blame him for thinking that. We should have, Betty. We should have a very, very long time ago."  
Betty was completely speechless. She just looked up at him for a second as he seemed to be trying to read her thoughts.  
She lowered her eyes to the ground, but he had moved so close that all she saw was his chest, practically in her face.  
Okay, breathing was a little more difficult now. She chewed on her bottom lip and suddenly, he lifted up her chin with his finger to force her to look at him.  
Damn those eyes of his! She tried to clear her throat, but all that came out was a whisper, "Daniel…why did you kiss me?"  
He smirked, "I think I just needed to find out if everybody's right, if we've been incredibly stupid all this time for NOT sleeping together."  
"Daniel, everything isn't always…"  
"About sex? Right, Betty. Well, maybe not. But…you can't tell me, you weren't thinking about it just now.  
You sure as hell didn't fight me when I kissed you, I noticed."  
"You surprised me! I didn't expect it."  
He nodded, "Okay, that accounts for the first thirty-seconds to a minute, tops. What about the rest of the three minutes or more? That was…some kiss, Betty!  
And believe me; I've had enough experience to be a good judge. I might have started it, but you sure as heck finished it. You kissed me back, but good!"  
He saw a slight hint of a smile, "Well, it's been…a long time."  
He grinned, "Yeah, Marc brought that up, actually. He said I wasn't giving you what you needed. So tell me…what do you need, Betty?"  
________________________________________  
Chapter 3: Chapter 3  
________________________________________  
The Inspiration of Saint Marc  
Chapter ...no, I mean, Epilogue! (I said there would be only 2 chapters!)  
A/N: Seriously, I SHOULD know better, right? LOL! Sorry, I promise I WILL wrap it up in this uh…(clears throat) epilogue, okay? Enjoy!  
Betty blushed profusely and tried to find a way to back away more from Daniel without climbing onto the stove. (She was frankly afraid that might only encourage him).  
She looked down, but he was practically on top of her. With her short frame, and especially in her bare feet, he could be quite intimidating when he wanted. And he most clearly wanted…her.  
That glaringly obvious fact made Betty more than a little nervous and freaked out. How had they gone from screaming at one another earlier to…well, this?  
She tried joking, "What I need and what I get are usually two very different things, Daniel. I don't know. What am I supposed to say to that, huh?  
We start out yelling at each other and now you're…pretending to come onto me? What happened? Did Trista have to go back to school to finish sixth grade or something and you're so hard up for a date you hit on me?"  
He rolled his eyes, "Betty, that's not going to work. You know damn well you're just…trying to change the subject by thinking you can either piss me off and get rid of me, or make me laugh and we'll just go back to being 'besties', braiding each other's hair or something.  
I think, well, if you had heard Marc, telling me how much he sometimes wished he could comfort Amanda…"  
Betty's eyes blazed, "Comfort? Is THAT what this is, Daniel? You think I NEED comfort? What, because of Matt? He's been gone for months now.  
If I needed comfort it would have been a while ago. I'm sort of past that point, now. What I really need is a man.  
And what about you? You needed comfort after Molly died and I think I did a pretty decent job of that."  
He nodded, and stroked her hair, "You did, Betty. I can never thank you enough for all you did when she died. You were really there for me."  
She was still worked up, but no longer breathing fire. Her voice had softened, "And I didn't have to have sex with you to comfort you then, did I?"  
"No, of course not. That's not what I meant."  
"Well, what did you mean, Daniel?"  
"I don't know. I'm not sure. I just know…I feel… something. Something different between us lately. Don't you? You sure as hell can't tell me that was just a 'friendly' kiss, Betty!  
Hell, I've had sex with women before and not felt that much heat. We've…never really talked about you and me. But, that doesn't mean I haven't thought about it. Are you saying I'm the only one, here?"  
She sighed, "No. I've…thought about it, of course. About…us, I mean."  
"And?"  
"And…nothing. One of us was always in a relationship, so it was off the table. Not to mention, you are still my boss, Daniel. And I was your assistant."  
"You're not anymore." He smirked.  
"You're still my boss, though." She rolled her eyes.  
"So, is that really the only thing that's stopping you? Maybe I should fire you again." He teased.  
"Very funny. You want to fire me so we can sleep together? Hmm….sounds a little like sexual harassment to me. I'm just saying."  
He laughed, "I'm kidding, Betty. Sorry, really bad joke, you're right. Come on, you know I would never really do that. I just meant, well...let's see. What if I wasn't your boss, though?  
How about if we were just Betty and Daniel, and had been friends all this time? How do you think you would feel about me? As a…you know, boyfriend potentially."  
She smiled slightly, looking at his earnest face. He was insanely charming, flashing those stupid puppy dog eyes at her, and TRYING to be cute.  
Her smile spread, "You mean, if you were a regular guy, who I happened to be friends with all this time and you had never been my boss? Yeah, I think I'd probably have to give you a shot.  
I mean, we do know each other pretty well after all this time. I know you snore a little, but not too badly."  
"Hey!" She put her hand up for him to let her continue.  
"I know…you can't cook any better than I can. That you like cinnamon twists and bagels toasted with a dollop of cream cheese and you like your coffee with two sugars, no cream, or a splash of half and half.  
I know…you're incredibly kind and generous and considerate. And that, even though you CAN be a baby sometimes and sort of self-centered, you eventually come around and are very supportive and encouraging to your…friends.  
Yeah, overall, I guess you are good boyfriend material. Especially now that your sweet, witty FRIEND has taught you not to be such a man-whore!"  
He laughed, "Yeah. Well, any improvements I've made over the years, I do owe to you, Betty. That's for sure."  
She grinned, "No argument here. But, you still ARE my boss, Daniel. And don't you dare threaten to fire me again!"  
He sighed, shaking his head, then tilting it back, and wrapping his arms around her waist. "Okay, so…I guess what I'm saying is, how about if you and I no longer worked at Mode, Betty?"  
She looked somewhat nervously at him, wondering if he knew her secret. "What do you mean?"  
"Well, I've been thinking a lot lately about how I got handed this job and it's not really something I chose for myself."  
"Really? You're thinking of stepping down as Editor-in-chief? You're sure Wilhelmina didn't drug you or something?" she teased.  
"No, I just don't have the passion for it that I used to. At first, I was trying to prove I could do it. To my old man, to myself, to my 'dead brother's memory'.  
But, after a while, it got to be where I was just going through the motions. Honestly, Betty, since you left to become an editor, it hasn't been the same.  
I miss us working side by side. I realize now that it wasn't Mode I enjoyed as much as just working with you. You and I really do make a great team. But I know you aren't in love with fashion. Even though your own fashion sense has VASTLY improved since you've been at Mode." He glanced down at her dress, making her blush again.  
But his meaning caught her interest. "Daniel, are you…saying what I THINK you're saying?"  
He gave her a somewhat pensive look, piquing her curiosity, "Well, I was thinking, my mom has had success with a magazine Alexis and I thought had to be a joke. I mean 'Hot Flash'? Seriously? And in this economy, too, where magazines are folding, left and right.  
So, I don't know. Maybe you and I could build something off your blog following." He smirked. "Something inspiring. For the everyday person. Not just the high fashion crowd, but everybody. I mean, you DID win an award, after all."  
She hit his arm, "Very funny, wise guy. But, you may just have something. So, wait, you mean you want us to start our own magazine? Together?"  
He nodded, "Now you've got it, Einstein. Which would make us co-editors. No boss and employee. Just colleagues. And we both know you don't have a problem getting involved with colleagues."  
She hit his chest lightly, but breathed in his amazing scent and tried to keep her heart from racing again as she thought of all the implications of what he was suggesting. Not only the romantic ones. She blurted out,  
"I got a job offer yesterday from Lindsay Dunne to run a magazine in London for him."  
He looked stunned. After a few seconds, he looked into her eyes directly, "Do you WANT to go to London, Betty?"  
"I…don't know. I mean, I'd miss my family. And…you. You know I love New York. But…it would be a great opportunity."  
"Yes, but, you'd have to learn a new language." He grinned.  
She rolled her eyes, "Well, yes, there is that to consider."  
"And I've met Lindsay Dunne. He's far too old for you, Betty. Plus, I'm way cuter."  
She hit him again, but laughed, "Shut up, Daniel."  
"Fine, Betty. If you really want to go to London, I won't stop you. But, think about this before you decide."  
He leaned down slowly and kissed her deeply, and urgently, holding her cheek with one hand.  
As he pulled away, he looked at her, "Just think, Betty. You and I could really be partners right HERE, in New York. That way, I'd only have to swim the East River to show you how much I…"  
She met his eyes, and whispered, "How much you what, Daniel?"  
He bit his lower lip and smiled, rolling his eyes, "you're going to make me say it, aren't you?"  
She played coy, "Say what? I'm not making you do anything. I mean, don't say anything you don't mean, Daniel. If you don't feel something, you don't have to say…"  
"Oh, my god, will you shut up? I love you, you nut! God, Betty, you know I do, okay? I'm crazy about you. I must be!  
Nobody in their right mind would put up with you and all your goofy 'pep talks' and perky little attitude if they weren't in love with you, now would they? They should declare ME legally insane!"  
A huge, Betty-wide grin spread across her face, "You love me? You're in love with me, Daniel? You really are, aren't you?" She was practically jumping up and down.  
He laughed at her, "Stop being such a goof, Betty, or I'll take it back."  
She pulled him down for a very heated kiss. He was clearly getting turned on, now. "Now we're getting somewhere. So, no London?"  
"Not right now, no. Maybe…we could go there and do a cover shot there sometime, though? It was really great seeing Christina. I did like London."  
"Yeah, well, I like Rome and Paris, too, Betty. But I wouldn't want to live there. I'm a New Yorker. And so are you. So, we could call our magazine, I love New York, maybe?"  
She shook her head, "I think that's a little trite, Daniel. We'll have to work on it."  
"Later." He said, kissing her again, and lifting her up, kicking the bedroom door open, "Right now, I think we NEED to discuss our working relationship. Of course, I'll want to be on top."  
She laughed, blushing slightly, "Daniel!"  
"Okay, fine, we'll take turns, Betty. God, you're so bossy, sometimes!"  
Once he reached the bed, he stopped, looking into her eyes, "Wait. You never said it to me, Betty. I'm not putting out until you tell me those three magic words, too. I'm not a man-whore anymore, after all."  
She buried her head in his chest, blushing, and said quietly, "I love you, too."  
He leaned his ear closer to her, "What was that? I don't think I heard you right, Betty. You what?"  
She rolled her eyes, then finally looked at him, meeting his gaze, dead on. She touched his cheek, "I SAID I, Betty Suarez love you, Daniel Meade. Does that satisfy you?"  
He smiled, a somewhat lopsided, goofy grin, "Yeah. It does. If you ask me what I need, I'd have to say-you, Betty. You're all I've ever needed. I think part of me knew it the first day you ran into that glass door. I knew you were something special, that's for sure."


End file.
